I teach at a school for which socio-economically disadvantaged doesn't quite cover it (in CA). The school district has poured MILLIONS into wiring schools (first T1 now wireless) as well as placing an iBook in every teachers hand (CRAP MACHINES).
Our school has a computer lab for students. Many WHO CAN'T READ. Now perhaps I'm missing something here. I may just be a dolt. Perhaps I'm a luddite or something but it seems to me that even the INTERNET is WORD DRIVEN. Basically you have to be able to read in order to use. So if you can't read, this thing isn't gonna help you.
The problem with machines is that they aren't smart; they don't have intuition or initiative; they break. Basically people are cheaper and more effective. I think asking people who can't control their "boredom" to intiate their own learning is like leaving a dog with a steak. If you're surpised the steak has been eaten, you're an idiot. Therefore, if you're surprised the kids aren't OK, well, you're a dope.
Computers are tools. Their effectiveness or ineffectiveness, like a band-saw, is dependent upon the user. Only with a band-saw you can weed out the dolts a hellavalot faster.:-) And for those who think that computer programs for schools are more interesting, come to mine. Fourth and fifth graders are playing with software marketed to toddlers to teach them to use the mouse. It shows a pretty picture. Other software is boring because it requires them to do the same things they can't with paper and pencil. No surprise there. But pictures, they like pictures...
Come on. We've all hired the secretary fresh out of business (computer) school who can't copy read, can't write a business letter, and basically can't fix his/her own mistakes. The computer can't do that, but the secretary doesn't know that.
The fact is, we need smarter people who can think. Asking a machine to do that is simply asinine. Spending education money we don't have on something that's not shown to be effective is simply pandering to some "special interest" that's sleeping with "Arhnold" or likewise.
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I teach at a school for which socio-economically disadvantaged doesn't quite cover it (in CA). The school district has poured MILLIONS into wiring schools (first T1 now wireless) as well as placing an iBook in every teachers hand (CRAP MACHINES). Our school has a computer lab for students. Many WHO CAN'T READ. Now perhaps I'm missing something here. I may just be a dolt. Perhaps I'm a luddite or something but it seems to me that even the INTERNET is WORD DRIVEN. Basically you have to be able to read in order to use. So if you can't read, this thing isn't gonna help you. The problem with machines is that they aren't smart; they don't have intuition or initiative; they break. Basically people are cheaper and more effective. I think asking people who can't control their "boredom" to intiate their own learning is like leaving a dog with a steak. If you're surpised the steak has been eaten, you're an idiot. Therefore, if you're surprised the kids aren't OK, well, you're a dope. Computers are tools. Their effectiveness or ineffectiveness, like a band-saw, is dependent upon the user. Only with a band-saw you can weed out the dolts a hellavalot faster. :-) And for those who think that computer programs for schools are more interesting, come to mine. Fourth and fifth graders are playing with software marketed to toddlers to teach them to use the mouse. It shows a pretty picture. Other software is boring because it requires them to do the same things they can't with paper and pencil. No surprise there. But pictures, they like pictures...
Come on. We've all hired the secretary fresh out of business (computer) school who can't copy read, can't write a business letter, and basically can't fix his/her own mistakes. The computer can't do that, but the secretary doesn't know that.
The fact is, we need smarter people who can think. Asking a machine to do that is simply asinine. Spending education money we don't have on something that's not shown to be effective is simply pandering to some "special interest" that's sleeping with "Arhnold" or likewise.